BIG TIME RUSH - Against the dark
by treehatsrock
Summary: On what should be the most important time of their lives, James and Zoe are faced with chaos as their day is soon turned upside down. Fear, panic and pure adrenalin are the only things keeping them alive... But for how long?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I smiled at James as he took my hand at the alter.

I had waited so long for this day... well this night! I had planned every tiny detail to perfection, but now I was here... well all that mattered was James!

He took my breath away as he smiled back at me proudly, dressed in his smart tuxedo. He gazed over my simple satin dress.

We had decided on an evening beach wedding as it was where we first met.

Stupidly I got in to trouble whilst out swimming 18 months before, my leg cramped up and I went under the water, lost consciousness. But I woke up to James giving me mouth to mouth... He saved my life and we had been inseparable ever since.

"Wow!" He mouthed at me as he looked in awe of my beauty as we listened to our service of marriage begin.

My heart pounded in my chest. The way James made me feel was so complex, a whirlwind of emotion was always inflicted on my body.

His beautiful eyes smiled at me as he slipped the ring on the tip of my finger.

"Zoe... On this day,

I give you my heart,

My promise, That I will walk with you,

Hand in hand,

Wherever our journey leads us,

Living,

learning,

loving,

Together,

Forever." James said huskly, his voice thick with emotion.

Tears left me as the love I felt for the man I was about to marry felt too much to contain. James rubbed my hand with his thumb.

"I love you." He whispered, placing the ring fully on my finger.

I smiled and looked up to the large collection of friends and family that had come to share this incredible day with us, everyone looked so smart, the night time glow of the candles that lit our ceremony made everything look soft and romantic. Big smiles on everyone's faces as they looked up at me.

My turn to declare my vows to James came and with a shaking hand I placed his wedding band on the tip of his finger, ready to commit to him for the rest of my life.

"Many people spend their lives searching for their soul mate, their one true love. Some people are lucky to find the person they can truly call the better half of themselves, while others spend the rest of their lives searching and never finding." I began looking deeply in to James' eyes.

"I am happy to count myself among the lucky ones because I found you.

I love you james, I know you are the only one for me, my one true love! I am happy and I am grateful that you came into my life. now that I have found you, I shall never let you go. I promise you james, that I shall hold you and cherish you, and give you my heart, I shall support you and care for you. Faithfully, I shall always stand by your side with your hand in mine, regardless of what life will bring us. I take you now as my husband and I shall remain so for the rest of my life." I declared, my voice quivering.

I slipped the ring fully on his finger and was blown away by his smile... a smile that now belonged to me.

We shared our first marital kiss, the sweet scent of James' breath hit me. The whirlwind of emotion began swirling inside me.

A new life awaited, and it was about to begin.

"You look beautiful zoe!" James whispered to me as he parted from our kiss.

"James, I love you so much... we are married!" I replied with a giggle.

James leaned in to kiss me once more as the crowd of friends and family cheered in celebration on the privately owned stretch of beach that we were on.

In an instant the atmosphere changed though, what was a second ago a beautiful romantic moment was now confusion and fear. The crowd that were clapping and cheering now had a mixture of screams and panic. Both James and I looked out to the commotion of our special audience but in the candle lit beauty only frantic movement could be seen,

The panic spread throughout the crowd, beginning at the back but making its way forward, I saw people running. My eyes darted around, trying to make some sense of what was actually going on.

James took my hand tightly, I saw him also scanning the crowd.

The screams were only what I had ever heard from horror films or scary rides.

Gun shot echoed through the night sky, that was when James fled, taking me with him, gripping my hand tightly as we ran in to the shadows.

The people around us were either running or randomly stumbling about.

"James!... what's going... on?" I panted out as we kept running.

"Don't stop moving zo'" was all he replied. James was a lot taller than me, his legs a lot longer and more powerful, I found it a task to keep up with him as we sped to some kind of safety, although we knew nothing of what we were running from.

I lost my footing and fell to the ground over some drift wood. my satin dress not being the best thing to run around in, a mouthful of sand made me cough and my breath stagger.

"Baby, c'mon! Up you get!" James said grabbing my arm and helping me back up to my feet.

"L... Logan?!" I stammered out, on seeing the unmistakable figure of Logan Henderson as he approached James from behind, he was hurt! Hurt bad, blood coming from his head, neck and chest.

James turned to look at Logan; who looked possessed like the devil as he lunged at my james.

James pushed him away, sending Logan to the ground like a ton of bricks. It was then that the side of Logan's neck became horrifyingly visible as unmistakable large chunks of his flesh were missing.

Quicker than the blink of an eyelid, Logan was back on his feet and grabbing at James once more, the state he was in was enough to fill my body with irrational fear but the snarled noises he was making, made my blood run cold.

James was using his foot to keep Logan from him, already his suit jacket had been lost in an attempt to free himself from his crazied friend.

Nothing seemed to work, I looked around, wanting help, needing help. Something was seriously wrong! I was somehow now in the middle of a messed up war zone, fire was breaking out in the distance, and what looked like a riot was spreading across the sand. I saw bodies! Bodies laying motionless in the darkness as they were still attacked by... guests of my wedding. What the hell was going on?!

I did the only thing I could think of and picked the drift wood up that was by my feet, I swung it with all my might, clipping Logan around the head, he fell back to the floor with a thud.

James looked at me in complete shock, he was having trouble believing what his ears and eyes were witnessing all around us.

James grabbed my hand once more, Logan was upright already, like the terminator on steroids. He grabbed at James' ankle, gnarling at him, baring his teeth like a rabid animal.

James kicked him in the head, sending him back to the sand with a sickening thud.

Once again we fled. Knowing this time it was for our lives.

I lost both my shoes in the sand as I ran. We made it up to the road, cutting through the long grass that separated the beach from the local car park we had stumbled upon.

My heart beat uncontrollably in my chest. My lungs not able to work.

James slammed me in to the side of a truck. "Shhh" he whispered, covering up my mouth as he spoke to stop the noise from my heavy breathing.

James pushed his body completely in to mine, protecting me, disguising me, trying to be as flat as the side of the vehicle we were up against.

We both watched in complete horror as chaos unfolded around us in the dark.

Strangers with jerky dangerous movements walked amongst James and I.

Blood curdling unnatural noises leaving their lips. The people, although they no longer acted like people; were fast! They ran with a mission, with a fire! They ran like the devil himself was empowering them.

A snarl came from the front of the truck that James had me pressed up against. The eye contact we made was scared.

"On the count of three I want you to get under the truck zoe! Promise... get under it yeah!?" He demanded.

I nodded. It was all I could do.

"1... 2..." James whispered. He then bolted! Running from me, the snarling person hot on his heels in chase.

"THREE!" I heard him shout, as he ran in to the darkness surrounded by the monsters that were out there.

My tears started but I did as I promised and got under the truck, scared out of my wits, scared for my life, scared for the life of my new husband.

I watched from under the truck as staggered footsteps walked around me, I covered my own mouth up, hiding my scared panting that left my lungs.

I heard a crash in the distance, like trash cans falling and rolling on the floor. The staggered feet that were near me, then took flight as they ran towards the noise.

I then heard more footsteps coming near me. I closed my eyes tightly, not sure what to expect. These footsteps didn't seem as controlled as the demon like ones though, these skidded as they came near.

A cry of relief left me as I saw James scoot under the truck.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He whispered to me.

I shook my head. "No... are... are you okay? James what's going on?... Logan was... oh my God!" I said as the terrible memory of what our friend looked like came back to me.

James took my head in his hands as we lay quietly under the truck. "I'm fine... I don't know what is going on, I thought at first like some... I dunno.. terrorist attack? But... shit, zoe! I just saw Dustin eat Alexas' arm... he actually had it in his hand... not attached to her!" He replied quietly, staring in to space in shock.

A cry whimpered out of me at the thought of my friends and what had become of them.

In any other situation, on any other day the next words that were to come out of my mouth would have been laughed at.

"Zombies?" I whispered.

James looked at me like I had gone bananas, but he shrugged, he knew it as well as I did.

The human race and the world as we knew it was never going to be the same.

"What are we going to do baby? I'm so scared!" I said, my entire body shaking as my once beautiful wedding dress got ruined as I lay on the floor.

"Don't be scared... don't be! Zoe we are going to be fine. I won't let anything happen to us, I promise you! Once it's safer we will try and get up to one of the houses by the beach and call for help." He said looking out from under the truck. The sound of gun fire and riot still echoed through the air.

Obviously we weren't the only ones out there fighting for our survival.

"When do you think it will be safer?" I asked, putting every ounce of trust in to James.

"Daybreak" he replied with a sigh.

My heart sank. The thought of spending a terrifying night under this truck surrounded by monsters was the last thought of how I ever thought my honey moon would go.

James wrapped his arms around me. "It will be okay..I promise! Are you warm enough?" He asked kissing my forehead.

I nodded, not wanting to talk, the sound of footsteps around us scared the life out of me.

James held me tightly, protecting me as best he could from the horrors that were so close.

Daybreak couldn't come soon enough for me!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"What is that James? A person, or a... creature?" I asked, not quite being able to bring myself to say "zombie"

James shook his head. "I don't know... come here, forget the noises!" He said cradling my body in to his. "It's just us now! we look after each other, no one el-" he cut himself short, as he listened to the screams of the woman that were now just outside the truck we hid beneath.

James pressed his finger against his lips, although it was pitch black, our eyes had adjusted and I could see James fairly well.

Our eyes searched each other's as our only way of communicating to one another.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE PLEASE!.. oh god... oh god!" Came the exhausted cries of the woman.

I could see it playing on James' conscience. We were condemning this woman to death by not helping her.

I shook my head. "There isn't any room under here for any one else... James don't do it! Just us!" I whispered, reminding him of the words he had only just spoken.

James nodded.

"SOMEBODY?... PLEASE!" Came the heart wrenching cries of the woman.

Fear enveloped me as she was attracting herself and the truck that James and I had shelter under, attention.

I could see shadows flit past, heavy angry footsteps flood in the direction of the woman who was now completely beside herself in fear. Her screams irrational, final! I could tell by the tone that even she knew it was a lost cause.

I heard a slump and a gargle outside the van as the woman fell to her knees on being attacked.

She could now see us under the truck but had no voice left to speak of as she was brought down to ground level by two of the creatures who feasted on her flesh like wild animals.

James and I could only watch on as she gasped out whispered pleas for help to us; her hand grasping at the air as her skin was ripped from her body. The sound so sickening, I knew it would haunt me forever.

Although I couldn't see the colour in the darkness that I lay, the pool of liquid that seeped nearer and nearer to James as he held me looked black, but I could tell from the thick coppery smell it was her blood oozing toward him.

James looked at me, scared I was going to scream my head off and give ourselves the same fate that the woman had suffered. I was too terrified to move, let alone have the power to scream. I don't actually think I had breathed the entire time I had watched this woman being mauled.

The blood thirsty people that left the woman motionless and never to scream again. They got up from their crouched position and casually walked off. One of them dragging their foot awkwardly behind them.

"James I think I'm going to be sick." I stammered out. The smell of blood and death clung to the air.

James moved further away from the pool of blood that was nearing him. "Take a deep breath. It's going to be okay... I know it doesn't seem like it... but it will. What's happened do you think? Why is this happening" He whispered, his eyes searching mine.

"I've no idea! Your the one that watches the zombie shows... how did that start?" I asked, my voice shaking.

James looked at me despairingly. "Baby, I wish this was a show!" He replied.

My mind whirred as I tried to take in what had happened this evening. Rain came down in a cool mist, the warm air dropping in temperature.

My body shivered.

"Zoe, try and get some rest... you need it... your gonna need it." James added as he stretched his arm out for me to use as a pillow. He was right, James was a power house of fitness, I was so tiny in comparison to him. I would need every ounce of energy just to keep up with him... God knows, I didn't want to hold him back!

I closed my eyes not wanting to sleep, but not wanting to see the girl who was dead, her eyes still staring at me as she lay on the floor motionless a few feet from the truck.

My breathing slowed and I listened to the homely sound of James' heart beat, the kind scent of his cologne as I buried my face in to his shoulder, it was a nice relief from the smell of rain, blood and fear.

"James? If things were normal... what do you think the rest of our wedding day would of been like?" I questioned. My eyes opening only to look in to those of my husband and nothing else.

I saw James smile. "We would of kissed and danced... I would of held you in my arms... it was meant to be so perfect zoe." He whispered.

I kissed him. "Your perfect!" I whispered back.

James continued smiling as we enjoyed a split second of calm, his smile though faded in a flash when I was almost yanked from his arms by my feet!

I screamed as I realised that the woman who was moments ago dead, lying next to the truck, now was very much alive and pulling me out from under the car as she snatched at my bare foot.

James held on to me tightly, not wanting to let me be exposed to the horrors that wanted me.

My lungs screamed out in fear and shock but once again James covered my mouth. It scared me and stopped me from breathing but I knew why he was doing it; he didn't want more of the creatures, or whatever the hell they were coming over to us.

James stared in to my eyes. He took my arms and wrapped them around the exhaust pipe that ran under the truck.

"Do not let go! No matter what happens." He said sternly, to which I nodded.

I whimpered in fear as I watched James roll out from under the truck, my leg that was being viciously pulled at was then let go of. I hitched both my knees up to my chest. Holding on to the mechanics of the car as James instructed.

I could hear a commotion outside. I could hear James. He had clearly had enough!

The sound of a hard kick came to my ears.

"You Don't..." I heard james mutter under his breath as another sickening sound of a punt came.

".. Touch..." James continued. The disgusting wet, bloodied sound of the foot making impact on the woman's already obliterated body.

".. My Wife!" He finished. The distinct sound of a neck cracking echoed in my ears. That was the last sound I heard for several seconds.

"James?" I whispered out.

Nothing.

Panic struck me.

"J... Ja..James!?" I said aloud, a little more than a whisper but it was so audible in the silence that was all around me.

Out of nowhere James' familiar hand came under the truck making me jump. "C'mon!" He whispered. "We need to go now!" He said urgently.

I took his hand and he pulled me out from under the vehicle.

Blindly running in the dark, I made the mistake of turning my head. I could see at least 6 black figures chasing us.

"Zoe, don't let... go of my hand!" James breathed out heavily as we ran.

I had absolutely no intention of ever letting go of his hand. My bare feet ran over painful grit and stones, but not ready to fail me. The light rain felt nice on my skin.

We reached a row of houses that looked over the beach, all the Windows were broken on the lower levels and a small house fire still smouldered away.

Once in the shadows of the dark James yanked my arm, pulling me down an alley way which separated two of the houses. Once again he pressed his large strong body against me. A sigh of relief left him as we saw the army of creatures that had been pursuing us, run past the opening of the alley way.

I bent over, placing my hands on my knees as I collected deep breaths. Adrenalin seared through my body.

"Hey you!" I heard a deep booming voice above us.

I looked up but couldn't see anything, James could though. He had a look of relief on his face. "Dude, you gotta help us!" James replied looking up to the house, I could see now that a man was on a fire escape.

"Are either of you bit?" Asked the booming voice from above.

James shook his head. "No man, no we haven't been bitten." He replied honestly.

The man looked at us for a few seconds, then released the ladder that made its way down to where we stood.

James gave it a tug, making sure it was safe before gesturing for me to go first.

I hastily climbed up, the man; who was elderly with a large bushy beard, held his hand out for me, helping me off the ladder.

"Congratulations are in order then?" He said sarcastically as he looked at my dress. "Im Peter." He added.

I gave him a weak smile as I waited for James, once I was reunited with him off of the ladder the elderly man invited us in. The room the fire escape led in to was large, all the furniture had been barricaded up against the door that would have led to the rest of the house. Only two candles dimly lit the room, one by an arm chair that the old man named Peter, now sat back down in and the other by two men who were sat on the floor up against the wall. I could only make out their silhouettes as their shadowy figures danced in the candle light.

James took my hand.

"What's going on out there?" James asked the man in the arm chair.

I noticed one of the men up against the wall stand up, he walked towards us.

"James? Zoe?" He said.

James turned his head on hearing his name being spoken.

"Kendall? Geez... Dude!" James said walking over to kendall and giving him a brotherly hug.

"It's so good to see you guys!" Kendall said, his voice relieved.

Kendall was still dressed in his wedding attire but he looked as if he hadn't got off as lightly as we had by hiding under cars. His once crisp white shirt was ripped and torn, blood covered most of him, and the side of his face.

I then saw that the other person who Kendall had been sat with was Carlos! He didn't look in the best shape though, I could tell that the blood that Kendall was covered in had come from Carlos.

"Oh my god! Los?" I said shocked, making my way to him, but Kendall grabbed my arm.

"Leave him... he has only just fallen to sleep. He has been shot." Kendall explained.

"Shot?!"

"Shot!" Both James and I repeated.

Kendall nodded, looking over to the man in the chair. It was then I saw the rifle sat next to him. The bearded man looked at me apologetically.

"It wasn't his fault, Carlos and I were surrounded by them... those things! He just got caught in the cross fire" Kendall said now looking at Carlos sadly.

"Have you not called for help? Police? Ambulance?" James asked.

"There is no help, son." The elderly man replied. "911 is busy... even if it wasn't; there is no one left to come out. I saw it on the news earlier today. New York had what they called riot attacks, next it was Wisconsin, then Colorado... Texas was next and last I heard it had spread to Mexico. The tv went on to emergency broadcast after that, same goes for the radio. There is no one out there that can help." He said.

James pulled me in to his chest, I think to comfort himself as well as me as we realised how bad things actually were.

"What happened? Why are they... those people?! Why are they crazy like that?" James asked the elderly gent.

"No one knows for sure, I heard a few rumours that a contamination in a New York water supply started it. But I also heard that a cancer patient was the one that started it. He was apparently on a new type of medication and went insane... who knows?" The man said.

I held my hand to my mouth in shock. Pretty much all of the United States had been affected. We were alone.

"Surely there must still be a government? An army? I mean that's what they are there for right? When things like this happen... oh my God this is actually happening!" I said, the shock now wearing off and my responses kicking in to action.

"Zoe... calm down. It's gonna be okay. We just have to ride it out. If it started in new york then the rest of the world is out there seeing what is going on... preparing to help! We just have to ride it out." James repeated. He gave me a squeeze to reassure me.

I looked up at Kendall, he looked beat.

"Is Carlos going to be okay, where's was he shot?" I asked.

Kendalls facial expressions saddened as he was brought back to the reality of the room.

He shrugged, "he is hurt pretty bad... got shot in the shoulder" Kendall replied, he took my wrist and pulled me over to where Carlos lay slumped against the wall. James followed. The three of us crouched down by our injured friend.

I reached my hand out to take a look at the gun shot wound on Carlos' shoulder but Kendall slapped my hand away before I could move his shirt out the way.

"I just wanted to see how bad it was!" I said to Kendall as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"It's bad okay! Just trust me!" Kendall snapped in a whisper.

I looked at James who wasn't taking Kendalls excuses lightly. With an ignorant shove in Kendalls direction, James thrust his hand out and uncovered the wound that Carlos had.

My eyes bulged from my head as I saw it.

Both James and I looked behind us, glancing at the old man in the chair, the gun rested against him. James turned back to Kendall; his voice low. "That is not a gun shot wound!" James hissed in a whisper. "That is a God damn bite!" He added.

Tears pricked at my eyes.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down! if peter finds out he will shoot him." Kendall said urgently, his own voice barely audible.

"What happened to him?" I whispered to Kendall.

Kendall gave Peter a quick glance, making sure he was unaware of our conversation.

"During the wedding... a group of... I don't know, what ever those things are! Zombies!.." Kendall whispered, saying the word I had earlier refused to. "They came over and began attacking, fighting, biting... Jesus! they were trying to eat everyone. I saw Logan, he put up a good fight but there were just too many of them for him... Carlos and I ran, alexa got lost in the crowd. Carlos insisted on going back to find her; we got surrounded and tried to fight or way through but... well Carlos got... bitten." Kendall said mouthing the word. "Peter fired the gun, he killed three of the zombies." He added, saying the Z word again. "He helped me up with los' thinking it was him that had hurt Carlos... I don't know what to do with him? He is still very much Carlos!" Kendall finished.

I looked at James in despair. We both knew what was going to happen to Carlos. We had seen it happen to the woman out side the truck.

"Kendall... Dude, he can't stay here! He will turn in to one of those things... and... he won't be Carlos any more!" James whispered.

"He is our friend James! You want to just chuck him out on to the streets?" Kendall hissed.

"He isn't Carlos any more Kendall!" James argued.

With that sentence leaving James' lips; Carlos' eyes fluttered open.

"D' someone say.. m'name" Carlos mumbled. I could see sweat glistening of his forehead.

"Hey los!" I said, greeting him. A nervous smile on my face.

"Zoe? Hey! I don't.. go much on your .. wedding entertainment." Carlos said, coughing out a laugh.

I looked at James. Kendall was right he was very much still the Carlos that we all adored.

"Hey man!" James said to Carlos. "How you feeling?" He asked.

Carlos' breathing was already very laboured. "Hot! I'm burning up." He replied.

I placed my hand on his forehead. He was absolutely scorching. "Everything is going to be fine okay." I fibbed. It couldn't of been further from the truth. Carlos was dying before our eyes, there was nothing I, nor anyone here could do to stop it, as whatever infection raged through his body was going to kill him; he was destined to become one of the others... a monster!

Carlos looked at me, his sweet little mind believed me, I doubt he knew or understood what was going on. He was so sick.

"I need to find alexa!" He said to me. "Lexi needs me." He added.

I looked at James, we knew the fate that alexa had. She was dead, James had seen her be torn apart.

"Los... I saw alexa.." James began. "She is fine, dude." He lied.

Carlos smiled. I guess a lie at this stage wasn't going to make any difference.

"Really? I've been going out of my mind worrying." He said sleepily.

James nodded his head. "She is safe!" James lied.

Carlos placed his head back against the wall, his eyes closed once more as he rested.

I gulped down at the lump that was in my throat, and tugged at James' shirt beckoning him away, out of Carlos' ear shot.

"We should rest James." I said.

James took my hand and led me over to the opposite side of the room, leaving Kendall sat with Carlos.

James placed his arm around me as we sat down on the carpeted floor.

"What do we do James?" I asked looking at Carlos across the darkened room. We were all in so much danger. He was a ticking time bomb!

"We sit.. and we wait." James replied, not taking his eyes off Carlos.


	3. Chapter 3

I must of dozed off as I awoke to see James's head lulling in tiredness as he kept a watchful eye over Carlos.

Kendall was fast asleep and Peter was reading a book by candlelight. I saw that Carlos' eyes were shut but he was fidgeting about a lot.

"James, what's the time?" I asked. Taking his hand in the dimly lit room.

"Just gone 2!" He replied with a smile.

"You should get some sleep now J'" I insisted on looking at the exhausted face of my absolutely gorgeous husband.

James shook his head. "I need to keep an eye on Carlos."James replied looking over to our sick friend.

I gave James' head a loving stroke with my hand and guided him down to my lap to rest, using me as a pillow.

"James I will keep an eye on Carlos, you need rest. I promise I will wake you if the situation changes." I whispered. Obviously Peter thought Carlos had been shot. He had no clue that our friend was destined to become a flesh eating monster.

James nodded with a yawn. "Just an hour, okay!" He replied.

"Sure!" I smiled back stroking his hair as he lay on my lap.

I sat silently until I heard James' breathing get heavier. I knew then that he was asleep.

I looked around the room at some of the pictures that were in it of Peter and his family.

He saw me looking.

"Are they your grandchildren?" I whispered out not wanting to disturb anyone but I saw Carlos was now awake.

"Yup!" Peter replied looking at the same picture that I was, hung on the wall. "I have 16 grandchildren... one more on the way." He replied softly with a smile.

I smiled back knowing that if this was Peter's last night on earth then at least he had done so much with his life. 16 grandchildren was quite an achievement.

"So, did you actually make it down the aisle before all this happened?" Peter asked.

I nodded. "We had literally just said our vows... then all hell broke loose." I replied.

Peter nodded. "At least you have each other." He replied.

I smiled and looked down at James while he slept. We did have each other and I never wanted that to change.

Peter went back to reading his book and I rested my head on the wall, still gently stroking back James' hair. It was therapeutic almost.

I saw the sweat from Carlos' face shift about as the candlelight changed his expression. He looked uncomfortable.

"How are you feeling los?" I whispered across the room.

"Hot..." He rasped out, his voice sounding so dry.

"Have you drunk any water?" I asked, not wanting him to be uncomfortable, being thirty was a terrible feeling, let alone slowly dying a death from a zombie bite.

"Nah... I'm good zoe, don't worry about it." He said secretly communicating with me in front off Peter that it was a lost cause.

I stayed silent for a moment, looking at Carlos who still tossed and turned uncomfortably as the heat from his infection or whatever it was took control of his body. He seemed more with it now than what he did when James and I first saw him. Surely if he was going to die then he would be getting worse, not better!

I thought for a minute as I gently stroked my fingers through James' hair. I thought about Logan and the girl that had tried to pull me out from under that truck.

I knew for definite the girl was dead, she was mauled by those things... and Logan! Was Logan dead? Surely he must of been with a neck injury like that. I could see his insides.

My stomach turned at the thought of it.

I looked up at Peter.

"Would it be okay if I left the room... to get Carlos a drink? Maybe a change of clothes for him too? He is burning up, Peter." I asked.

Peter looked at me, then looked at Carlos who was dressed in his full wedding gear. The heavy clothing wouldn't be helping his temperature.

"It's been quiet outside, I've not heard any screams for a long time. You can leave the room but the Windows downstairs are broken. Don't turn any lights on. Help yourself to anything for the boy." He said looking at Carlos. He must feel so guilty thinking that it was him that had caused his current state.

"Thank you!" I said to Peter.

I gently moved James' head from my lap and rested it on the carpeted floor, he didn't stir at all, he must be exhausted.

I removed the pieces of furniture quietly from in front of the door of the room that we were all in. Luckily the huge cabinet slid silently with ease over the carpet.

I cautiously opened up the door, the house was in complete darkness, I couldn't see any movement but I couldn't hear anything apart from the hum of electrical appliances that belonged to Peter.

James was going to kill me.

"Is it okay if he changes in to something slightly cooler?" I asked Peter, looking over to Carlos.

Peter nodded, he still read his book but he looked slightly more on edge now the door was open. "Second on the right." He added.

I walked over to Carlos and held my hand out to him. Carlos looked up at me in shock that I actually wanted to be near him.

"Can you walk?" I asked.

Carlos searched my eyes, the gratitude I saw in them I would never forget. He nodded and I helped him up.

"Woah!... I'm really dizzy!" Carlos said placing as hand on his head.

"It will be okay, c'mon." I said helping him out of the room.

Following Peter's directions I led Carlos towards the second room on the right. The door was shut so I pressed my ear up against it and listened. I could hear nothing, so opened it up.

Peters bedroom looked sweet. Although it was dark, I could make out mostly everything. One side of the room was perfectly tidy, I imagined it was his wife's side of the bed. I gathered she must of passed away by the amount of pictures that adorned the dressing table.

I opened up the wardrobe and picked out the first light fabric shirt and shorts I could find.

Carlos sat on the end of Peters bed.

"C'mon, let's get you changed, you can't just boil up in those clothes los." I said.

Carlos looked at me, but didn't say a word. His expression on his face was "what is the point?"

I helped him out of his wedding outfit, slipping the light cotton shirt over his upper half. I smiled at him, now dressed in little green palm trees. He was about to have some red shorts put on to.

Once he was dressed, but with his smart wedding shoes back on, red shorts and a white button up palm tree shirt that belonged to an old age pensioner I did have a little giggle.

Carlos looked at me and chuckled, shaking his head at the situation in amusement.

"Look at the state of me!" He mused.

"Yeah but do you feel cooler?" I asked.

Carlos smiled. "I do! Thanks zoe." He replied.

"No problem! Come on, let's get you a drink." I replied pulling him back up to his feet.

Carlos and I made it down stairs and in to the kitchen. He made himself comfortable sat on the kitchen counter.

I walked over to the fridge, I opened it up only ever so slightly so I could slip my arm inside to press the little button that turned the refrigerator light off. Once it was off I opened up the fridge fully.

I grabbed a couple of bottles of water that I found and shut the fridge up quickly.

I passed a bottle to Carlos. "It's sparkling water... I hate the fizzy stuff but drink it! It will do you good!" I said to Carlos who was already opening his water and gulping it down.

"Not much of a wedding night for you and James huh?" Carlos said in between gulps. "Being stuck in a room with his two band mates and an old dude!" Carlos said.

It was hard to take him seriously dressed so ridiculously, but the situation we were in drowned out any fun.

"I had imagined it being slightly different... yes!" I replied.

Carlos smiled.

"Zoe... why are you doing this? I'm gonna die! We all know that!" Carlos said quietly.

"We don't though Carlos, all we know is what's happened, you can't go by what you have seen in The Walking Dead or 28 Days Later! This is real life and the rules haven't been made yet... so let's keep you fit! Drink up!" I said.

Carlos stayed silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts as he drank the fizzy water. He finished one bottle and then opened up the other that was on the kitchen side next to him.

I found a clean dish towel and ran it under the tap.

"Can I take a look at the bite... clean it up a bit?" I asked holding the cloth in my hand.

Carlos nodded and unbuttoned his shirt so I had access to the bite mark, I gently cleaned it. Dabbing and wiping. I didn't know if it would make any difference but we could try.

"What did it feel like when it bit you?" I asked.

"Not much at first... then it felt like a red hot poker has been inserted in to my skin. The fire feeling... it just... it ran through my veins. I've never felt anything like it." Carlos said.

"Do you feel better from how you did earlier?" I asked him.

Carlos nodded. "Yeah I do... thank you zoe. It means a lot that your doing this for me... that you haven't given up hope."

"Los you should never give up hope! Never!" I replied.

"Zoe can I tell you something... it's kind of a secret" Carlos smiled.

"Sure! Go for it" I replied.

"Alexa is pregnant... I was so relieved when you said she was okay. I couldn't of coped if something had of happened to her." He said, his loved up smile on his face that he often had when he spoke of alexa.

I felt awful though. Alexa was dead. James had lied to Carlos, thinking that he was on the same path, but now I wasnt so sure.

I smiled as best I could. "You will make an amazing dad Carlos." I replied as I buttoned his shirt back up.

"Zombie dad... sounds kind of cool I guess!" Carlos said sarcastically.

"Carlos I don't think your going to die, and if you don't die you can't turn in to one of those things." I said searching his eyes.

Carlos shook his head. "Your wrong! I saw it happen. Logan got attacked then the next minute he wasn't Logan any more."

"I saw Logan too, he tried to get to James.. to attack him. Logan died from his injuries. He had this massive chunk of his neck missing." I said letting a few tears out. "There was this woman too. She got attacked by two of them, she died from her injuries then came back as a zombie... God what am I saying?! ... She came back as whatever it is that's wrong with them." I explained.

Carlos searched my entire face, trying to work out if what I was saying was the truth.

"Do... you... do you think I'm going to be okay then?" He asked, holding his breath for my answer.

I shrugged. "Honestly los I have no clue, but I don't think whatever infection they have put in your system can kill you! I think if you had died from serious injuries like Logan or that girl I saw then it would change you in to one of those things... you just have to not die!" I explained.

"What you mean it's like a bug... like a virus. I've just got to ride it out?" Carlos asked.

I nodded. "You seem so much better now, I think that it's a bit like flu... the bite itself can't kill you... it just makes you sick. Carlos as long as you don't get killed you will be fine! That bite mark is not exactly a life threatening injury is it!" I replied, pointing to the bite.

Carlos smiled.

I only wish we hadn't lied to him about alexa now...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Did you want anything to eat. I bet your starving?" I said to Carlos as he sat on the work top.

"Yeah sounds good." He said resting the bottle of water down on the counter. He hopped off and opened up one of the cupboards in search of food.

"You do seem so much better Carlos." I whispered smiling. The darkness of the kitchen made everything appear as if it had been bleached by the moon light.

"I do feel a lot more normal. I really thought I was going to die earlier, my breathing was really bad... ooh cheezits!" He said smiling pulling out a bag from the cupboard.

I chuckled. "You definitely seem a lot better. James was expecting you to turn in to a zo-"

"James was expecting that you would stay upstairs!" James said, entering the room. He crossed his arms over his big broad chest looking a bit miffed that I had put myself in unnecessary danger by walking around the house with a half zombie man.

"I'm sorry James... Carlos seems a lot better" I whispered.

James looked at Carlos who was now stuffing his face with cheezits. "So what's going on then?" He asked intrigued, but pulling me over towards him and wrapped his arms around my waist in a protective way, just incase Carlos changed any second. He leaned against the kitchen sink, my back leaning in to James' chest. I felt relaxed for the first time in hours.

"We think! And its a big think, that the bite is just a virus type thing. It's wearing off. As long as Carlos doesn't die then he isn't going to change in to... those things." I explained to James.

"But what about... oh... Yeah I guess it makes sense." James said trying to get his head around everything.

"We are all going to be okay!" I said to James, looking up and giving him a gentle kiss.

Kendall then emerged running his hand through his unruly hair. He looked at Carlos covered in cheese dust then looked at James and I. His eyes then got wide with fear.

I froze to the spot. "Wh... what is.. it... K.. Kendall?" I asked. Scared to move.

"Window!" He mouthed, then slowly crouched on the floor.

James let go of me and pushed me down by my shoulders.

"Go to Kendall!" He whispered.

Tears fell from my eyes as I crawled across the kitchen floor to Kendall. Carlos was now sat on the floor, also hiding.

I looked back up to James who was stood completely still. He was stood at the kitchen sink. Which had a large window to look out from, both the Windows had been broken and a grotesque monster was now half In it sniffing at him.

James closed his eyes, I couldn't close mine. I was too scared to move, watching this creature trying to sum up if my husband would make a good meal.

I'm guessing that the zombie who was centimetres from James as he sniffed and snarled around the back of his neck used to be an elderly gentleman. He even still had glasses on his face. His face now though was twisted and mangled from becoming one of the creatures.

"I need to help him!" I whispered to Kendall.

"No... don't move! I don't think he thinks James is a person... he is too still." Kendall hushed back.

"He is my husband Kendall!" I argued, trying to control my voice.

"And your my friends! Stay still!" He demanded.

I watched as the creature crawled in further through the window. His hand now on james' shoulder. The contact made james snap his eyes open in fear.

He locked eyes with me. The expression on his face so sad.

"I love you zoe!" He mouthed at me.

I silently sobbed, scared that James was saying his goodbyes.

"Run!" I whispered back to him.

James didn't run though, he remained stood still like a statue, like he was waiting. Why was he not trying to fight for his life. That thing could get him at any moment.

I looked at Carlos who looked beside himself in fear as we all got such a close encounter of what one of these things looked like and acted like.

I felt Kendall take my hand, it was the smallest gesture but one I would never forget. I was about to witness my husband be attacked, possibly killed. Having Kendalls hand in mine was the kindest thing, just knowing I wasn't alone.

The zombie began snarling, it's disgusting noises reminded me of what a dog would sound like if it was missing its bottom jaw.

I could hear James' heart beat echo in the room around us. If I could hear it I'm sure that the creature could to.

That was when it scrambled over James, a sharp gasp fell out of my mouth, the shock of what I was seeing as the zombie man tried to empower James.

Still James stood still as the creature lunged its head over James shoulder. Sending a few things from the dish drainer crashing to the floor.

I watched on as James looped his arm around the creatures neck then snapped its head back with his other hand in one swift movement. Another sickening crack of a neck bone snapping entered my ears and the creature went lifeless, still in the head lock that James had over his shoulder.

Silence filled the room as we all took in what had happened. James looked in shock. He pushed the creature back through the window. It fell with a slump to the ground, now officially dead. Never to come back for a third time.

I ran to James and wrapped my arms around him.

"Oh my god... oh my God!" I said in hysterical sobs as I clung on to my beautiful James.

James ran his hands over my face. "Shhh. Everything is fine... it's fine!" He soothed.

I held on to him so tightly. In a matter of hours James had played the hero twice. Killing two creatures to save us.

"I love you so much" I sobbed in to his shirt.

"Love you too... zoe come on, don't fall to pieces on me. I need you to be strong for me okay." He said softly.

I looked up as Peter walked in the room with his gun in hand.

"Okay... I promise." I said to James, wiping my eyes.

"I heard a crash?" Peter said.

"Yeah a flaming zombie came crawling through the window, went all weird over James." Kendall said standing up straight.

Peter pointed the gun at James. "DID YOU GET BITTEN?!" He snapped.

I started crying again. James moved me to the side out of the way of the gun. "I didn't get bitten... I killed it!" James said to Peter. Moving his shirt around to show random bare skin as proof of never being bitten.

Peter lowered his gun.

The atmosphere relaxed slightly as James took me back in his arms. I think he was more worried about trigger happy peter than Carlos now.

"We should move back up stairs." Carlos said, finishing his packet of cheezits.

"Yeah I feel safer up there too." Kendall said taking a sip of water from the bottle on the counter.

I buried my head in to James' chest. His beautiful scent still lingered on his clothes. It took me far away to a world of normality, not this crazy place of monsters and murder.

"What is this?" Kendall said looking at his water bottle with a disgusted look on his face.

"Just water... it's the fizzy stuff though." I replied, once again wiping my eyes, looking from Kendall back to Peter making sure he had put the gun down.

"No I mean... shit!" Kendall said clutching his throat. "It is burning! Really burning!" Kendall said then fell to his knees.

I looked at Carlos. We shared the same scared look as we realised that Kendall had drank from the same bottle that Carlos had.

"Dude... that's my bottle!" Carlos said, staring at Kendall as he now held his stomach in pain.

Kendall looked up at Carlos in horror.

"Oh god... I'm going to turn in to one!" Kendall said panicked.

For an old guy, Peter moved quickly. He marched up to Kendall pointing the gun to his head. "What's the matter with you kid?!" He said.

The sweat was pouring off of Kendall already. He was crying in shock and still howling in pain from the burning sensation he received from the infection he had contracted from Carlos.

"Please d...don't.. oh god.." Kendall howled as he tried to deal with the pain.

"Jesus man! Don't shoot him!" Carlos argued.

James left me, walking forward, not about to let his friend get shot. He stood in front of Kendall moving the gun to his his own stomach.

"You will have to go through me first!" James threatened.

Peter looked around the the room. He was surrounded by people that wouldn't just stand by and let Kendall be shot.

"It's me! It's me okay!" Carlos screamed. "I was bitten!" Carlos said in a panic.

The gun then got pointed at him.

"Peter no!" I screamed.

"You brought that poison in to my house?!" Peter hissed.

"'No man... we didn't know what was going on!" Carlos argued,

Peter then pointed the gun back at Kendall, then Carlos... it was insane.

"Peter please! No!" I screamed, fearing for Carlos' life.

"Your going to infect us all." Peter shouted.

"Peter I promise you he isn't!" I begged, my feet trembling beneath me. I was so scared.

"Show me your bite!" Peter demanded of Carlos.

"He isn't going to turn!" James then said, defending Carlos.

I looked at Kendall who was still suffering with the burning sensation. Kendall grasped at his body in attempts to help his body adapt to a pain that was unlike anything anyone other than Carlos had experienced.

"Oh god im dying!" Kendall said panicked. The gun then got pointed at him.

"He isn't! It's a virus!" Carlos shouted out. It was chaos all around.

It was James that then stepped in once again. An old man wasn't much for James to control up against the other things he had been doing this evening. But Peter wasn't letting go of his gun in a hurry.

The two men ended up on the floor. For the second time in a matter of minutes I feared for the life of James as he played the hero.

I cried, now clinging on to Carlos as he held me back from the scuffle James was having with the man.

"Let me help him los!" I screamed out.

"Zoe, no!" He called back grabbing on to my dress.

The sound of the gun going off echoed not just through the room we were in but the entire street outside.

The room and the people in it stood still momentarily as we tried to work out what had happened and who got shot.

All became clear when James sat up holding the gun in his hand. He was covered in blood but it wasn't his own. Peter lay lifeless on the floor below him. A pool of blood streaming from his body.

"James?" I whispered out. My body in shock, not able to handle all the sights my eyes and ears were witnessing.

"I... killed.. h i m." James said slowly. His body in its own form of shock.

"Baby c'mon, get up!" I said to James, leaving Carlos' side and helping my husband off of the body of the man that had helped us.

"Let's get up stairs! The gun shot would of attracted more of the.. things." I said to Carlos.

Carlos however was not looking at me, he was looking to my left... where Kendall lay... in a pool of his own blood.

"Oh my god! Kendall?!" I said, kneeling down next to him.

Kendall lifted his head. He was still clutching his stomach but for a different reason this time. The bullet from the gun had ricochet and hit him.

He was in a bad way and now with the infection inside him, things didn't look good!

I slipped my hand in his. Knowing this wasn't going to end well.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Carlos don't touch anything else okay!" James said bringing himself back in to the here and now. He had gone in to military mode and was calling out orders for Carlos and I to follow and do.

The gun shot had attracted things to the house. I could see fast shadows flit past, I couldn't see the creatures themselves, but the change in light that flickered from the windows like dozens of mini eclipses made me very wary that we were not alone.

I could also hear helicopters above. It was a small feeling of relief but knowing if we would be allowed on board or even getting to the helicopters if they landed would be a completely different story.

James picked up Kendall bridal style, the gun strapped on his shoulder and hurried him back upstairs to the room we had come from. I had grabbed the small amount of items that James had instructed me to get and followed him up with Carlos behind me.

The candle still burned in the room.

I heard a crash down stairs as James lay Kendall down on the floor.

Everything was happening so quickly, my body couldn't respond.

The thunderous sound of stamping feet were making their way up the stairs.

James and Carlos barricaded up the door of the room we were in. A second later would of been too late. Angry insane bangs and scratches threatened the other side of the door.

Both James and Carlos were sat against it, adding to the weight in a life or death attempt to hold the door shut. To keep the monsters out.

It was Kendalls bloodied fingers that grabbed my wrist which brought me back to the matter at hand. It made me jump.

"What's happening to me?" Kendall asked. His face dripping with tears from so many different types of pain and fear.

"You've been shot honey... your gonna be fine! Do you hear the helicopters... the rescue party are here. Everything will be fine Kendall I promise you!" I said trying to lay him down flat.

I had taken a selection of items from down stairs, more water, clean cloths and a knife, which James had told me to take.

"How bad is it?" James asked as he still sat against the door. His feet stretched out in front of him, digging in to the carpet to aid with his barricade.

"I... I'm not sure! My God!.. Kendall lay still!" I called. He was squirming and moving around in so much pain.

"IM ON FIRE!" He bellowed out.

"shhh... please, your not. It won't kill you, the infection can't! But the gun shot can! Kendall... just stop!.." I said trying to pin him down. His arms and legs were all over the place.

"Kendall I need to take a look at what damage the bullet has done... you need to stay still!" I demanded, making eye contact with him.

His once beautiful green eyes now looked demonic as they were now framed with blood shot whites.

"It hurts so bad!" He whispered out, tears pouring from him. I could feel the heat radiating from his body already.

"Were you as bad as this?" I said to Carlos.

Carlos shook his head. "It really hurt... but.. no, maybe I just have a higher pain thresh hold than him!" Carlos replied as he too dug his heels in to the carpet as a huge push from the other side of the door tried to open it.

I looked at James. We both had the same thought, I could see it in his eyes. Kendalls body was already shutting down, accepting that death was imminent from his blood loss, the infection was winning.

"Kendall I need to stop the bleeding! We need to fight this okay!" I whispered to him, trying to sound optimistic and not panic him further.

I pulled him from his suit jacket that he still wore and folded it up, placing it under his head like a pillow. I loosened the tie that was around his neck.

"I'm gonna take a look okay." I said pulling his shirt up.

It was only small but the damage the bullet had done was bad. The deep hole just oozed out blood at an alarming rate.

I turned to James. "The bullet is still in him." I said calmly. God knows how I said it calmly. I was a normal girl I wasn't used to being under pressure like this. I was just zoe! A normal Australian girl that had got lucky almost dying once on the beach in LA and met my beautiful James. I wasn't a doctor... I wasn't a life saver.

"James I can't do this!" I said looking at the hole in Kendalls stomach. James was the hero! he was the life saver.

"Zoe you can do it! I can't let go of the door baby. Just press down really tightly where it's bleeding... it will slow down." James replied. His voice sounded slick, I had no choice but to believe him.

I poured a little water over Kendalls stomach, just to try and get a glimpse of what I was dealing with. I got one of the clean cloths and pretty much stuffed it in the bullet hole and held down tightly.

"Just keep it there... your doing great!" James said to me quietly.

The four of us remained silent for several minutes. The banging on the door and the muffled cries from Kendall as he sobbed quietly in to his jacket that his head lay on were the only noises.

As the minutes ticked by the random bangs and scratches from the door stopped.

"I think they have left?" Carlos whispered.

James cautiously left the barricade, he walked over to the arm chair that Peter had been reading his book in. He tried to lift it up but it was too heavy. Eventually it took both him and Carlos a lot of effort to drag it over to the door, adding to the barricade.

Carlos dusted his hands together. "Nothing is getting in now." He said.

James crouched down beside me as I still sat with my hands on Kendalls stomach.

"Do you want me to take over?" He asked.

"I don't want to let go." I replied. James gave me a small smile. I took that smile to say it was a wise choice I didn't remove the pressure from Kendall.

"I'm not going to make it... I'm going to change in to a frikkin zombie!" Kendall whispered out as he tried to hold still.

He looked so pale now. His breathing had started to become shallow too.

"Your not dude... your gonna be fine!" James said. I think we all knew that Kendall wasn't though.

Kendall grabbed hold of James' shirt. "Man don't lie to me. You know what you have to do! Just be a man and do it!" Kendall said.

I saw James' eyes fill as the thought of having to kill his friend was injected in to his mind.

James just shook his head. "Your not dying, your gonna be fine!" James insisted.

"Don't lie... to me!" Kendall gasped out. Still grabbing hold of James by his shirt.

"Kendall save your energy... okay!" I said, prising his fingers away from James' collar.

"I'm sorry... sorry!" He said laying on the floor, letting go of James. "I'm so.. scared." Kendall cried.

"We will get going soon, find one of those helicopters and get away, get you fixed!" I replied to Kendall.

Kendall shook his head at me, no longer able to feel any hope and believe my lies. He turned back to James.

"Promise me one thing... please... I beg you... just this one thing!" He pleaded to James.

James nodded through his tears. "Anything man... Anything." He replied.

"Whatever happens, don't let me turn in to one of those things... please... James." Kendall said sucking in a staggered breath.

James searched the eyes of his friend. His lip quivered as he tried to contain his emotion. "Promise" he whispered.

"James! What are you saying!" Carlos argued.

"Los... honestly man..." Kendall said to him. "I know... I can feel I'm going." He added.

Carlos then came and sat with the three of us. "This can't be it Kendall... we just need to get out and get to one of those helicopters. They can fix you, you will be fine." Carlos said now crying.

He was emotional at the best of times but this was far too much for him.

Kendall shook his head. He gave Carlos a smile. Baring his teeth as he grinned we all saw that he had blood in his mouth, Carlos cried even more on seeing it.

"Carlos I can't... even move, I'm never..." Kendall said trying to get a good breath in his lungs. "... going to be able... to leave.. this.. room." Kendall finally got out, his breathing made me feel tight chested.

"But you need to try! You can't give up! Isn't that right zoe!" Carlos said looking up to me for support.

I burst in to tears as I held so tightly down on Kendalls wound. "I want to say your right Carlos..." I sobbed. "God... Kendall I'm so sorry." I said once again falling to pieces.

"It's not.. your fault." Kendall said placing his hand on mine. "Let go.. zoe." He whispered, trying to take my hand from his stomach.

"I can't let go, you will bleed to death!" I replied. Every nerve in my body shaking.

"It... hurts zoe.. please, I'm in so much... pain... I don't want it any more... Let go." He said, a tear streaming down the side of his face as he lay down.

My sobs became louder as I looked in to the green eyes of my friend.

"Please zoe." Kendall asked.

With a heavy heart I let go of Kendall. He gave me a small smile to say I had done the right thing. I took his hand in mine once again, just like he had done with me down stairs. The smallest gesture but I didn't want Kendall to feel alone.

James gave my shoulder a rub. "It's my fault, I didn't mean to kill Peter! It was an accident. If I hadn't of killed him then you wouldn't of got hurt Kendall." He said.

Kendall shook his head. "Nah... you did the right... thing J.. James." Kendall breathed out heavily. It was so uncomfortable to listen to him. " Peter would of.. killed... me and los anyway." He added.

"He's right James." Carlos agreed.

"We had... fun guys, right! Big.. time rush." Kendall whispered out.

"It was rad man!" James agreed.

"Brothers from another mother!" Carlos said wiping his face.

Kendall held his hand up in a fist. "For logues!" He whispered out.

Carlos then placed his hand on Kendalls, doing the group shake I had seen countless times before when James was on tour.

James was the last to place his hand on. He was in complete bits. "For Logan." He sobbed.

Kendall then rested his hand back down. Carlos got up and walked over to the window. James remained sat by me trying to pull himself together. I continued to hold Kendalls hand.

"It keeps flying past." Carlos said about the helicopter. "I think it's trying to land." He added.

"What do we do if it does land?" I asked him, but it was Kendall that answered.

"You run towards it and get the.. hell... out of here." He gasped.

I looked at James. He nodded.

A tannoy from the helicopter broadcast loudly as it flew over head but I couldn't hear all of the message.

"What did that say?" I asked.

"They are landing in the car park in ten minutes to pick up survivors" Carlos said as he stood by the window.

"You have... to go!" Kendall said.

I looked at James.

"We aren't leaving you Kendall!" James said.

Kendall shook his head. "No... you don't understand. I can feel it in me... I'm changing... you... need to go now!" He said looking panicked.

James, Carlos and I all looked at each other.

"I made a promise Kendall... do you still want me to keep it?" James asked.

Kendall nodded with tears streaming from his eyes.

"James I don't think we will have time for that." Carlos said looking at the helicopter.

"I will make time!" James snapped back.

I stroked Kendalls hand. He looked gravely ill. He didn't have long left.

He began squeezing my hand. His strength that he suddenly had was scary.

"Kendall your hurting me." I said, my voice trembling.

It was James that had to pull my hand from Kendalls.

"I can't help... it." Kendall said fidgeting. He sat up. Making more blood pour from his wound. He took the tie from around his neck and handed it to James. "Tie me to something!" Kendall said.

James looked at him confused, but took the neck tie.

"Do it James! It's.. for your.. own.." Kendall coughed, blood spewing from him. ".. own good!" He demanded.

James looked at me, scared but stood up. He tied Kendalls hands together by the wrist. I could see it was tight as the little blood that Kendall did have left in him had the circulation now cut off from his hands.

James took the remainder of the tie and wrapped it around the pipe of a radiator. Making sure it was tied tight so Kendall couldn't escape if he tried.

"Carlos, you need to take zoe and get her to that helicopter." James said.

Carlos walked over. "Well where will you be?" He asked.

James looked at Kendall, who nodded at him.

"I will be right behind you." James replied to Carlos

"No James, we go together!" Carlos said.

"James you can't leave me!" I sobbed.

James looked from Carlos to me. "I need to stay here with Kendall... till the end." James said. Giving Kendalls arm a pat. "I can't do it with an audience and I need to make sure zoe is safe!" He said looking at Carlos directly in the eye.

Carlos let out a sigh but nodded.

"James you can't do this!" I sobbed, hanging on to his arm.

He wiped his hand on his shirt, all of us were covered in Kendalls blood. James then pulled me to one side.

"Zoe.." He whispered. "I love you, and I promise you I will not let you go through this life on your own! I want you take the knife, if Carlos gets hurt you need to protect yourself!" He said. "I promise you I will get to that helicopter. Promise me that you will!" James added.

"I promise. James I love you" I sobbed.

James kissed my head. We then made our way back to Carlos and Kendall. Kendall looked terrible. His eyes were darting around the room. He was even pulling at the tie on his hands.

"You.. need to go!" Kendall croaked.

Carlos kneeled down next to Kendall. "I love you man." He said.

"Love you.. too los." Kendall said with a weary chuckle. "Take care... of Lexie, yeah!" Kendall replied breathlessly.

Carlos shed some tears but nodded. He walked away towards the window with the fire escape. He was so emotional, no one should have to say goodbye to their friend like this.

It was then my turn to say goodbye to Kendall.

I leant down and he smiled at me.

"Your on the path to a new journey kends... don't be scared okay!" I said wiping my eyes.

Kendall nodded. "Kogan will rock heaven." He said with a laugh that turned in to a cough. Blood spluttering out once more.

"I love you Kendall." I said with a sob.

"Love you... too zo' thank you... make it count okay. Look after... James." He whispered back.

"I will... I will." I sobbed. Then hugged Kendall. "Be good." I said in his ear.

Kendall smiled at me. His beautiful dimples being the last thing I saw of him.

I then buried myself in James. "Don't miss that helicopter!" I said to him, unable to control my tears. "I love you."

James held me tightly. "I will be right behind you! Kendall doesn't have long left." He whispered taking my hand and leading me to Carlos.

"Take care of her man!" James said to him.

"I promise." Carlos replied. His eyes red from crying.

The two boys hugged like brothers. James then released the ladder from the fire escape so Carlos and I could get down.

"Carlos.." James said as Carlos mounted the ladder. "Don't get dead, okay!" James finished.

Carlos nodded.

I couldn't look at Kendall again. The last image I saw after James kissed me one last time was him picking up the gun.

If James did make it to the helicopter he was never going to be the same...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Carlos waited for me at the bottom of the ladder, we must of looked ridiculous! I was in a wedding dress and Carlos was wearing a terrible ensemble ready for a pensioners day at the beach.

He took my hand firmly as he cautiously walked to the end of the alleyway that separated Peters house and the one next door to it.

"Can you see anything?" I whispered to Carlos as he peered around the corner of the house, out on to the street.

Carlos shook his head. "No... it's deserted!" He replied.

"Deserted?" I questioned. Surely their must be one zom- creature about." I said correcting myself. I didn't like the word zombie.

I had a careful look around the corner myself. There was nothing. It was eerily quiet.

"Let's get going then Carlos." I said pulling him out in to the open by his hand.

We ran across the road to the side with the beach on it. It was pitch black still.

I could hear the helicopter in the distance it was still circling around above us.

The car park was so close, I could see the street lights that lit it up.

"We are gonna make it zoe!" Carlos whispered with a smile.

In that instant an ear piercing bang of a gunshot came from the direction of the house we had just left.

My heart died knowing what James had just done and that Kendall was no longer with us.

"Zoe we have to go!" Carlos said in a panic.

"But James will be out in a second!" I argued.

"Zoe we have to go now!" Carlos said pulling me, it was then I could hear the stampede of feet coming towards us.

"RUN!" Carlos then shouted.

I couldn't see anything that Carlos could, I felt something cold and wet brush against me, it made me scream.

A jolt from my hand that was attached to Carlos finally made my legs start running.

"Where did they come from?" I panted out as we fled.

"No idea." Carlos replied. "Down here!" He whispered. Then jumped.

He dragged me down with him, I had no clue where we were until I landed flat on my face in the sand. Carlos had taken me off the embankment and down to the beach.

Both of us scrambled against the wall, hiding from the creatures that sped past us above our heads as we pushed our bodies so far in to the wall to not be seen.

My chest heaved in and out. Carlos looked at me, we didn't speak for a few moments. The helicopter whizzed past above our heads announcing that it will be landing in 5 minutes.

"We won't make it in time!" I whispered to Carlos.

"What do we do?" He said turning and peaking his head over the wall that separated the beach from the road. "There are loads of them out there now. I didn't realise James was going to use the gun!" He hushed at me.

"It wasn't exactly much of a choice he had was it los!" I snapped. Thinking of my poor James with having the option of shooting Kendall in the head or cracking his neck in a head lock.

"How is James going to get out if those things are surrounding him?!" I said quietly, now crouching up and looking over the road to the house James was in.

"Over there!" Carlos said pointing towards a large white van. James was on top of it, the creatures were oblivious to him but he was never going to be able to get down and get to the helicopter, he was surrounded by about 15 of them.

"We need to create a diversion" Carlos said.

"How?" I asked, dusting the sand from my face.

Carlos looked around, trying to find something to throw, the only thing we were surrounded by was sand.

"Do you still have that knife?" Carlos asked.

I nodded. I didn't really want to give it to Carlos, I wasn't one hundred percent certain that he was zombie free. Obviously his saliva was very infectious.

"Zoe! We don't have time for this! Do you want James to be able to run?!" He moaned.

I nodded and handed over the knife that was wrapped in a cloth, tucked in to the bodice of my wedding dress.

Carlos unraveled it from the cloth and pointed it at me. Fear struck me for a second, Carlos then cut a large section from the skirt of my satin dress.

"What the hell are you doing! That's an 18 thousand dollar designer dress!" I hissed. It had taken me months to find the perfect dress.

"I'm trying to save your husband! Carlos said as he packed some sand in to the square of fabric he had cut from me. Carlos then tied up all the corners until he was left with a tennis ball sized sand bag.

Carlos then stood up and launched the home made sand bag like a grenade.

"Shit! I missed." He hissed out, then pointed the knife at me again, cutting another square from my once exquisite dress.

I watched as Carlos filled this new section with sand and folded the corners up tying them tightly.

He gave this sand bag a kiss for luck. I stood up with him this time. Trying to see what he was actually trying to achieve.

Once again Carlos launched the sand bag in to the air. It became obvious what his plan had been when the bag smashed through the windscreen of a sports car that was parked at the opposite end of the road to what James was stuck on.

The car alarm sounded off, and the headlights flashed up on the car like a Christmas tree.

The noise of the smash and the alarm then created a stampede of creatures towards the car. Away from James!

"RUN JAMES!" Carlos shouted over the alarm.

I did just see in the darkness, James jump off the van and run towards the car park.

"Let's go." Carlos said. Grabbing my hand and running along the beach towards the car park. I could see the helicopter doing the final rounds in the air, it wasn't staying still so not to attract its landing position to any creatures.

"Shouldn't we get up on the road los!" I said as we sped down the beach.

"This way is quicker. It's just through..." He said skidding to a stop.

"What's wrong." I said looking up at him, catching my breath.

"They are in the water!" Carlos said in a whisper.

I turned to face the ocean. I wish I hadn't, I wish I had kept on running.

The moonlight lit them all well. They were just stood there, stood waist high in the sea, each and every one of them looking at Carlos and I.

"Zombies!" I finally said, looking at the large group of possibly 30 or more of them.

"Why are they in the sea?" Carlos whispered, too scared to move.

"Carlos I have no idea but I'm not wanting to stick around to find out!" I said, took his hand once more then ran. Ran so hard, and so fast.

I knew the creatures from the sea were now in pursuit of Carlos and I. The manic sound of splashing as they ran to catch us, to kill us was the scariest sound.

I upped my game, no longer caring that my lungs couldn't carry the breathing my legs needed. I ran for my life.

Carlos' hand was yanked out of mine as he lost his footing and fell to the sand.

"GET UP!" I screamed going back for him.

One of the wet zombies that was in the lead stopped and grabbed Carlos by the leg. My instinct for my own survival kicked in. If I lost Carlos then I would lose all hope.

I raised the knife that was in my hand and swung it down, cutting the hand of the creature clean off.

"GET THE HELL UP CARLOS!" I screamed pulling at him.

Carlos did get up, he did run, he grabbed my hand once more as our feet did us justice and carried our worn out bodies towards the helicopter.

I turned my head to see the army of super fast zombies behind us. They didn't need lungs to breath, they didn't need air to run. They just wanted one thing. Flesh!

"It's landing!" Carlos said as we cut through the bushes.

The bright light on the bottom of the helicopter lit everything up as bright as day.

"We are going to make it zoe!" Carlos gasped out as he helped me weave through cars towards our rescue party.

I trod on sharp stones and razor sharp grit that lay on the car park road, it didn't slow me down. I was so close to safety, so close to James.

The men that were on the helicopter as we approached it were dressed in camouflage. I had never been so grateful to see the US army!

The soldier that was by the door of the helicopter held his arm out for us, obviously he could see we had brought deadly company with us.

"QUICKLY!" He demanded as he pulled me in by my arm.

Next in was Carlos. I hugged him as we both made it onboard safely, the helicopter then took off before the huge crowd of creatures could cause it any damage.

I scanned the people on board, a few civilians were also on here, but no James!

I looked back out towards the open door. The crowd of zombies below us trying to reach up to the helicopter as we hovered just out of their reach was mental.

It was then I saw James, his hand was held up to his head in an attempt to shield the helicopter light from his eyes.

"We need to go back down!" I yelled at the army guy that had helped me onboard the helicopter.

"What's your name miss?" Was all he replied.

"What, what do mean what is my name? My husband is down there! You need to get him!" I shouted over the noise of the rotating helicopter blades.

"There are too many infected to land at the moment miss... your name? We need the names of everyone that comes on board." He said looking sympathetic, a pen and clipboard of paper in his hand.

I sobbed as I looked down at the hoard of creatures that were stopping James from getting rescued. They were all too busy trying to grab the helicopter out of the sky to realise James was on the outskirts of their crowd. "Zoe Maslow... Mrs Zoe Maslow." I cried.

Carlos wrapped his arms around me as he too looked out towards James stranded below us.

"Your name sir?" The soldier asked Carlos.

"Carlos Pena." Carlos said sadly as he looked once again at James.

My sobs were uncontrollable as I buried my head in to Carlos' shoulder. It was only a matter of time before the creatures spotted James.

"Is that a census? Like a register?" Carlos asked the soldier.

The soldier nodded. "This is everyone that we have picked up with the two helicopters. You two... and him." He said looking at James. ".. Are the only survivors that we have seen left in over 4 hours" he revealed.

"Please.." Carlos said grabbing at the clip board. "Alexa... Alexa Vega... It's she safe?" Carlos stuttered out in a panic.

I cried as I watched the soldier scan through names on his clip board.

"I'm sorry sir... we haven't found anyone of that name." He said to Carlos.

I sobbed harder. Carlos then peeled me from his body.

"Is lexie okay, zoe? Honestly?" He asked.

I cried so hard. I looked at James who was now waving his hands in the air in an SOS wave.

"ZOE!" Carlos yelled. "Is alexa okay?!" He said holding me tightly by my shoulders.

I shook my head as my tears rolled. "I'm so sorry los... I'm so sorry, she didn't make it." I sobbed.

Carlos let go of me, the shock realisation of this news had stunned him.

"Los im so sorry... I'm so sorry." I said over and over.

Carlos nodded as he too looked out at James doing his SOS wave.

"Will you go back for him?" Carlos asked the soldier. His voice shaking with emotion.

"If we can land then yes but we can't take the risk with all the infected down there right now.

Carlos nodded again, he turned to me.

"Lexie was my life... just like James is yours, zo'" he said softly.

"I know!" I blubbed.

"Do what Kendall asked and make it count okay... make your life with James count!" He said, he gave my hand a squeeze. "Get him!" Carlos said to the soldier pointing to James. Carlos then jumped from the helicopter.

"LOS!" I screamed as I watched him go. He fell down in to the rabble of zombies who all huddled in tightly to get a piece of him. Carlos ran though! He ran as far as he could, causing a diversion. The creatures followed him yards up the road until he was captured and brought down. I cried so hard.

The soldier moved me to one side as the helicopter lowered. I cried my eyes out as I watched James approach it. The helicopter then hovered just low enough for the soldier to lean his arm down and help James on board.

James wrapped his arms so tightly around me. I cried and cried in to him, so grateful that he was safe but so sad at the price that had to be paid for it.

"I love you james." I sobbed in to his shirt.

"I love you too." He replied. "We will make them proud zoe... we will make them so proud." He said as the helicopter flew off to safety.

James and I were headed for a completely new life. Our marriage was to be the beginning of a new world for us both!

The end...

Author note: thanks to all who read and review this. I can't tell you how interesting it was to write.

No members of big time rush were harmed in the making of this fanfiction, lol.

Natalie xxx


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